The Forge (episode)
When Earth's embassy is bombed, and Admiral Forrest dies in the explosion, the investigation puts Archer and T'Pol on the trail of a Vulcan religious faction hiding in a treacherous desert. Summary Teaser In 2137, a young Vulcan male wanders alone through a subterranean tunnel on the planet Vulcan. He finds a sculptured casing that is completely covered in dust. Using a brush, the young Vulcan wipes away the dust from the casing to reveal a symbol. He mutters a single word: "Surak". Act One In 2154, Admiral Forrest has travelled to Vulcan to learn of the Vulcan High Command's decision on whether to start conducting joint missions with Starfleet. At the embassy, Forrest discusses the matter with Ambassador Soval and is surprised to learn that Soval was not consulted by the council. Regarding the Vulcan reluctance to share technologies, Soval explains that humans are confusing to them and that the fast progress of human development in recent years concerns the Vulcans. Suddenly an explosion is heard by the two men and Forrest quickly pushes Soval to the ground as the embassy is engulfed in flames. On the Enterprise, the senior officers are enjoying a spirited game of basketball, which Phlox, who is exceptionally good and has to keep switching teams, likens to Octran fertility contests but with more clothing. T'Pol then summons Archer away from the game to give him the bad news. :"Captain's starlog: supplemental. ''Enterprise has arrived at Vulcan as ordered. Three days after the bombing of Earth's embassy, the death toll stands at 43 and I have lost my friend, Admiral Forrest. Vulcan authorities still have no lead on who's responsible."'' Archer is met by Administrator V'Las, head of the Vulcan High Command, along with Ambassador Soval and Stel, chief investigator of the Vulcan Security Directorate. After Archer rejects the suggestion that the bomb was planted by Andorians, it is reluctantly revealed by Stel that Syrrannites are also under suspicion. Archer mistakes this as the name of another species but T'Pol corrects him, explaining that they are a small group of Vulcans who follow a 'corrupted' form of Surak's teachings. The Syrranites' logical and peaceful nature make them unlikely candidates but when Archer asks if there is any evidence, Soval points out that the embassy is officially considered to be on Earth soil therefore placing any investigation of the crime scene under Starfleet jurisdiction. Archer sends Reed and Mayweather down to investigate the blast site where they uncover an undetonated bomb. Reed scans the device and discovers Vulcan DNA on the controls but a closer scan triggers the device and the two officers manage to transport back to Enterprise seconds before it explodes. Act Two Phlox's investigation matches the recovered DNA to T'Pau, a well known Syrrannite. However, when Archer attempts to pursue the leads further Stel points out that T'Pau is Vulcan and therefore the overall investigation now falls under Vulcan jurisdiction and that Starfleet assistance is not required. Archer enters Enterprise's cargo bay where the bodies of the humans lost in the bombing are being held for transport back to Earth. While quietly reflecting over the coffin of Admiral Forrest, the captain is joined by Soval. The ambassador urges Archer not to leave the investigation in the hands of the Vulcan High Command but to question everything and go down to Vulcan. Meanwhile, Koss visits T'Pol in her quarters. T'Pol is not particularly pleased to see her husband but he insists that a face-to-face meeting was necessary. He gives T'Pol an IDIC that T'Les, her mother, wanted passed along. Koss explains that the new security conditions on Vulcan following the bombing have forced T'Les into hiding because she is in fact a Syrranite. When T'Pol presents the IDIC to Archer and explains that it has been modified and activates it. The IDIC displays a holographic topographical map of Vulcan's Forge. Against Tucker's warnings that the Forge is a "hell hole" with electrical sandstorms and geomagnetic instabilities that prevent the use of any technology, Archer decides to transport down to Vulcan with T'Pol in search of the Syrranites. Soval provides data on the gaps in Vulcan satellite surveillence so that Archer and T'Pol's beam in wont be monitored but remains aboard to assist Tucker with the investigation from orbit. Act Three Archer and T'Pol beam down to Gateway. T'Pol explains to the captain that it was there that Surak supposedly began his journey into the Forge. Archer questions T'Pol about her apparent lack of belief in some of the stories of Surak. She answers by telling him that Surak's writings from that period were lost and the current copies of his teaching are open to interrogation. A fact Archer find familiarly amusing. Their conversation is abruptly interrupted by a Sehlat screech. Fortunately, they are able to get to high ground before the creature reaches them. On Enterprise, Phlox is examining the bomb to find other DNA traces. He discovers that the telomeres from T'Pau's DNA are too long to belong to the 32 years old Vulcan, concluding that someone falsified the evidences. From a recording Malcolm recovered from the embassy, they are able to pinpoint the moment at which T'Pau DNA signature was recorded. They are not able to identify the suspect, but the guard on the recording seems to recognize the person. Coincidently, that same guard is right in the sickbay ... in a coma. On Vulcan, the Sehlat is driven away by a guy named Arev. He claims to be on a pilgrimage. Archer pretends the same and asks if the three of them can walk together. Arev implicitely agrees, not without saying that the Forge will be hard on the human. As they walk through the desert, Arev ask some questions to the captain and comes to the conclusion that they are not doing a pilgrimage. A sand fire storm interrupts their discussion. Act Four In orbit, Trip and Phlox explains to Soval what they have found. Tampering with the DNA records suggesting a pretty high level conspiracy, the ambassador finally agrees to mind-meld with the comatose guard. In the Forge, the three "pilgrims" find a shelter from the sandfire. After seeing T'Pol's medallion, Arev says that he has respect for the captain actions (regarding the P'Jem sanctuary in particular) and agrees to bring them to T'Karath Sanctuary when the storm is over. Archer then tells him the real reason they are there. He says the High Command claims the Syrannites believe in a corrupted version of Surak's teachings. To that, Arev answer by saying that some says Surak's katra was found and is now carried by a Syrannite. According to the rumor, all who would mind meld with him may touch Surak's mind. On Enterprise, Soval, Phlox and Trip confront Stel. They claim to have an eye witness who identified him as the one who planted the bomb in the embassy. When Stel and V'Las ask to speak with the witness, Phlox says that his patient is in a coma. When Soval admits doing mind meld, Stel protest, saying that telepathic evidence is inadmissible. V'Las says that the ambassador will be summoned to appear before the high command to account for his actions. Act Five In the Forge, the storm is gaining in strength. T'Pol is hit by an electric discharge when trying to reseal the cavern entrance. Another discharge hit Arev, deadly this time. Just before dying, Arev mind meld with the captain sayingthat he must carry "it" to the sanctuary. On Enterprise, Soval is going to turn himself to the Vulcan High Command. When Trip protests and accuses the ambassador of not trusting humans, Soval answer "Peace and Long Life", suggesting that he has more respect for him than the engineer realizes. Archer is awaken by T'Pol. They agree to continue searching for the sanctuary, which is supposed to be nearby, after burying Arev. Archer has strange intuitions and easily find the sanctuary. Inside, they are greeted by a group of armed people. TO BE CONTINUED... Memorable Quotes "We don't know what to do about Humans... You have the arrogance of Andorians, the stubborn pride of Tellarites, one moment you're as driven by your emotions as Klingons, and the next you confound us by suddenly embracing logic." : - Soval to Forrest "There are those at the Vulcan High Command who wonder what will the Humans achieve in the century to come, and they don't like the answer." : - Soval, to Forrest "Look on the bright side. If it detonates, we'll never know." : - Reed, to Mayweather Background Information *This episode marks the death of Vice Admiral Maxwell Forrest. *This episode reveals (or at least confirms) that there is a United Earth Government. *Scenes in the Forge were shot at an industrial site in Simi Valley, in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles. On the road leading there from the main street, the production staff were amused by a sign for "Vulcan Materials Company." A coincidence. *Filming began on Tuesday, and ran for the usual seven work days through Wednesday. *Robert Foxworth previously played Admiral Leyton in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost". *The script and production report at StarTrek.com establish that the Earth Embassy was in Shi'Kahr. Links and References Guest Stars *Robert Foxworth as V'Las *Vaughn Armstrong as Maxwell Forrest *Gary Graham as Soval *Michael Reilly Burke as Koss *Michael Nouri as Arev Co-Star *Larc Spies as Stel References basketball; Earth; Earth embassy; gravity switch; inner eyelid; Kiri-kin-tha; Klingon opera; Mount Seleya; Newton, Isaac; Octran; Plain of Blood; T'Plana-Hath; United Earth Diplomatic Corps; Vulcans; Forge, The de:Der Anschlag es:The Forge nl:The Forge